FIREWORKS NIGHT
SPOTLIGHT
CAMPUS MOVIEFEST
SDSU will try to make sparks on the field before the KGB SkyShow. page 3
Learn about an award winning, comedic professor.
SDSU’s student movie festival concluded with a bang last Saturday. page 8
dailyaztec the
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Vol. 96, Issue 16
San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1913
w w w. T h e D a i l y A z t e c . c o m
INDEX:
sports ... 3
features ... 5
page 7
Tw i t t e r : T h e D a i l y A z t e c
entertainment ... 8
classifieds ... 11
TODAY @ STATE Fall Career Fair 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Centennial Walkway Luci Tapahonso Reading 7 p.m. Room LL108
backpage ... 12
SDS-VIEW
GUIDING LIGHTS Photo Editor David J. Olender shot this photo from last night’s Muse concert at Viejas Arena. The band played for thousands of electrified audience members with show opener Passion Pit.
Potential renovations for twin halls ANTHONY BRONSON S TA F F W R I T E R
Pending the California Legislature's approval of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed 2010-2011 budget, the renovation of both Nasatir and Storm Halls could begin as soon as January. As part of seismic safety projects, the state of California is budgeting $341 million to renovate old buildings in both the California State University and University of California systems. Both Nasatir and Storm Halls have been on the list for renovation funding for years. “Our project for Storm and Nasatir (Halls) was originally approved by the CSU Trustees in 2006 and funded for design in 2007,” Gina Jacobs, San Diego State Manager of Media Relations, said. “Prior to the budget crisis, we would have typically received the construction funding one year later — in July 2008.”
Again, last spring, SDSU was notified that the renovation project would be included in the 2010-2011 state budget even though Nasatir and Storm halls were not included on the CSU system's list of riskiest buildings, according to an article from California Watch. “SDSU submitted the renovation request to the CSU Chancellor's Office,” Jacobs said. “The CSU then prioritizes all of the campus' requests by category and criteria established by the CSU Board of Trustees and then make a capital outlay budget request of multiple CSU projects to the State.” The article also states CSU policies don't mandate fixing the most dangerous buildings first. If the current California state budget is passed with this funding, SDSU should have the money in time for construction to begin on Nasatir and Storm halls, as scheduled, next January. According to an education subcommittee document outlining the division of the $341 million to various CSU and UC recipients, SDSU is budgeted to receive $57.2 million for
the renovation of the two buildings. “The buildings will undergo a complete renovation, parts of it will be demolished and any asbestos in the building will be removed,” Jacobs said. Furthermore, the subcommittee document outlines Nasatir and Storm Halls will receive “seismic retrofits, mechanical and electrical systems, ADA accessibility and an addition of a utility and elevator core.” Additionally, a document from the Facilities Planning, Design and Construction department states the new buildings will “meet current Health and Safety Code standards, correct deferred maintenance issues and improve energy efficiency.” The new buildings will “house administrative offices, lecture and teaching lab space for the departments of Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Sociology, Rhetoric and Writing and Foreign Languages,” according to the FPDC. With major renovations scheduled, plans have already been set into motion to relocate classrooms, offices and entire departments
to other locations on campus while construction is under way. “With the exception of Nasatir 100 and the geography lab located just above it, no classroom and office activities will be in the complex starting in January 2011,” Jacobs said. “Alternative classroom and office space is being created across campus for those that will need to be relocated as a result of the construction.” Nasatir 100 is the large lecture hall between Nasatir and Arts & Letters. As part of alternative classroom and work areas, the university is bringing in portable office space until the project is complete. “There will be a complex of trailers west of the Music building that will be installed later this fall,” Jacobs said. “When Storm Hall and its addition are completed, Nasatir (Hall) 100 and the geography lab will be relocated and that final portion of the building will be demolished and rebuilt.” The renovation to both Nasatir and Storm Halls is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2013.